Jay Bruce is nearing the end of his career with the Cincinnati Reds on a high note. The 29-year-old slugger rebounded from consecutive years of struggling at the plate with an All-Star first-half in 2016.
Bruce produced a higher OPS (.853) in the first half of the season than any full season in his previous eight years with the Reds. Odds are his OPS drops in the second half of the season. His second-half OPS over his career is 36 points lower (.765) than the first half (.801).
Still, Bruce is showing that he’s regained his bat well enough to boost his market value to its highest since the Reds decided to trade the team’s star players.
Bruce made it known that he’s willing to go to any contending team regardless of his limited no-trade clause that blocks eight teams. The announcement improves the Reds chances of maximizing the trade return the team can acquire for Bruce.
Just how much the Reds can receive for Bruce remains to be seen. Bruce has a $13-million team option in the final year of his contract next year. The contract also has a very affordable $1-million buyout.
Several teams could use Bruce, but the question is how many teams will feel like they need Bruce at the price the Reds will ask for him.
The Reds could decide to keep Bruce for the rest of the year and look more toward an offseason trade. Or the Reds’ may decide the team pitching will improve enough to take a shot in 2017 with Bruce, Brandon Phillips and Zack Cozart all under club control for 2017.
Odds are the Reds will ultimately value dumping more salary above all else. That means Bruce will be on the move.
For the Reds’ sake, the team needs to get it right if Bruce is traded. That will mean acquiring better prospects than the pitiful trade return the Reds received for Todd Frazier and the even worse trade return received for Aroldis Chapman after the Reds completely botched the timing of that deal.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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